Physics Prospects with MeV Neutrino-Argon Charged Current Interactions using Enhanced Photon Detection in Future LArTPCs

TL;DR

This paper explores the use of enhanced photon detection in future liquid argon TPCs to improve MeV neutrino interaction measurements, enabling better energy reconstruction and neutron tagging capabilities.

Contribution

It introduces a dual calorimetric approach with enhanced light detection for improved energy resolution and neutron tagging in MeV neutrino interactions in LArTPCs.

Findings

Light-only calorimetry yields better energy resolution than combined methods.

Enhanced photon detection improves timing resolution and optical coverage.

Neutron tagging and gamma identification are feasible with the proposed system.

Abstract

We investigate MeV-scale electron neutrino charged current interactions in a liquid argon time projection chamber equipped with an enhanced photon detection system. Using simulations of deposited energy in charge and light calorimetry, we explore the potential for dual calorimetric neutrino energy reconstruction. We found energy reconstruction based on light-only calorimetry has a better resolution than combined charge and light calorimetry when hadrons are produced in these events. Meanwhile, enhanced light detection offers improved nanosecond timing resolution and broad optical coverage, enabling neutron tagging and identification of delayed low-energy gamma emissions. These advancements open new avenues in low-energy neutrino physics in next-generation LArTPCs.